Hospital a target of records lawsuit

Firm: names, files of 2,360 patients available online

Updated 9:10 pm, Thursday, April 18, 2013

Glens Falls

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Glens Falls Hospital after the accidental release of the names and medical records of 2,360 patients.

The records were available online through an unsecured computer server between Nov. 2 and March 14. The server was maintained by an outside medical records transcript service, Portal Healthcare Solutions, which is also named in the suit. The hospital immediately terminated its contract with Portal after the breach, spokeswoman Darlene Raynsford said.

The records did not include financial information, Social Security numbers or home addresses, she said. However, the records were transcribed doctor's notes, which did include medical diagnoses, clinical lab results, diagnostic imagining reports, emergency department records, medication administration and other treatment, Donald Boyajian, attorney for the plaintiff in the class-action suit, said.

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"The disclosure of private medical records on the internet is obviously a very personal and disturbing matter," he said in a statement. "My clients want to make sure that this problem is fully addressed and never happens to anyone else."

The hospital said it could not determine if information of individual patients was viewed or downloaded and mailed information to all those affected. It has a call center for patients with questions or concerns.

"We regret the inconvenience and concern this situation has caused, and we will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our patients' privacy rights," a hospital statement said.